1. Field of the Invention
The present patent document relates generally to touch sensitive interfaces for electronic devices and more particularly to a touch sensitive control with a visual indicator that permits building complex music patterns and locating position within a song.
2. Background of the Related Art
Electronic devices, such as audio performance products, typically include rotary or linear potentiometers (“knobs” and “sliders”) for controlling values of parameters within the product. When a single physical “slider” controls different parameter values based on a bank of controls or a different mode, the physical position of the wiper of the linear potentiometer may not match the current value of the parameter it is controlling. This will result in an undesired jump in the parameter value when the user moves the physical “slider”. Linear and rotary potentiometers also do not allow for a user to instantly jump to a desired value because the user must slide the slider or rotate the knob through all intervening values first prior to reaching the desired value.
Furthermore, it is desirable for disc jockeys to and audio professionals to be able to build repeatable patterns for use during performances and custom audio mixing.
Although touch sensitive controls have been implemented on prior art electronic devices allowing the user to locate to any part of the currently playing song instantaneously, these prior art solutions do not provide feedback to the user as to the present setting of the touch sensitive control.